Amends the Nurse Agency Licensing Act. Defines "covenant not to compete". Changes the definition of "Department" to the Department of Public Health (rather than the Department or Labor). Changes the definitions of "health care facility" and "nurse". Provides that in an application for licensure under the Act: a limited liability company may apply; evidence of general professional liability insurance in the amount of at least $1,000,000 (instead of $500,000) is required per incident and $3,000,000 (instead of $1,000,000) is required for workers' compensation coverage; and there is an application fee of $2,000. Provides that collected fees shall be deposited in the State treasury and credited to the Nursing Dedicated and Professional Fund. Provides that for the renewal of licensure, the licensee shall submit an attestation detailing the number of contracted shifts, number of shifts missed, and number of shifts fulfilled for the 3 quarters preceding the application. Provides that an application for a license may be denied for the failure to develop and implement contingency staffing plans to minimize missed shifts. Provides that nurse agencies who knowingly employ, assign, or refer to a health care facility a nurse or certified nurse aid with an illegally or fraudulently obtained or issued diploma, registration, license, certificate, or background study constitutes negligent hiring and is grounds for suspension, revocation, or refusal to issue or renew a license. Provides that the Department shall establish updated minimum standards. Provides that nurse agencies are prohibited from entering into covenants not to compete with nurses and certified nurse aides. Provides that a nurse agency's maximum rate for services provided to a health care facility by a nurse or certified nurse aide may not exceed 130% of the regional average hourly wage for each staffing position. Provides that the Department shall establish a system of reporting complaints against a health care staffing agency or its employees. Increases the civil penalty for violation of the Act to $10,000 per occurrence (currently $1,000 per day for each violation). Makes other changes.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Crematory Regulation Act. Provides that "cremation" includes natural organic reduction. Defines "natural organic reduction". Effective immediately.
Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning a reduction in assessed value for affordable rental housing construction or rehabilitation, provides that, for the purpose of an initial application and only until the building is put in service, an owner may provide proof of either a deed restriction or participation in a government program that includes legally enforceable affordability requirements comparable to the requirements set forth in those provisions, and the chief county assessment officer shall furnish a letter of intent to the applicant. Makes changes to the definition of "assessed value for the residential real property in the base year". Effective immediately.
Amends the Chicago Laborers Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In provisions concerning contributions for leaves of absence during which a participant is employed by a local labor organization, provides that for levy year 2017 and until the effective date of the amendatory Act, the participant, or the labor organization on the participant's behalf, shall make employer contributions equal to the contributions the participant would have made if the participant was an active employee. Provides that beginning after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the participant, or the labor organization on the participant's behalf, shall make employer contributions equal to the difference between the amount contributed by the participant as though the participant was an active employee and the normal cost, which shall be calculated by the Fund's actuary on an aggregate basis specific to the participant's Tier based on the Fund's most recent actuarial valuation and shall be effective on each July 1 after the Board certifies the amount of the contribution to the participant. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning block grants for school districts other than the Chicago school district.
Congratulates Terry Cosgrove on his retirement from serving as the president and CEO of Personal PAC. Further commends him for his years of dedicated service.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Repeals provisions added by Public Act 102-528 providing that the owner of a certificate of purchase must file with the county clerk the names and addresses of the owners of the property and those persons entitled to service of notice at their last known addresses. Repeals provisions providing that the clerk shall mail notice within 30 days from the date of the filing of addresses with the clerk. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In provisions concerning disability determinations, allows licensed health care professionals (rather than just physicians) to make certain disability determinations. Defines "licensed health care professional". Effective immediately.
Amends the Parking Excise Tax Act. Removes provisions from the Act providing that a booking intermediary is not considered an operator. Provides that separately stated charges that are not optional are presumed to be part of the purchase price unless proven otherwise. Provides that the tax does not apply to: (1) parking in a lot or garage that is owned or operated by a federal, State, or local government entity if the purchase price does not exceed a stated amount; or (2) if the purchase price is paid by any federal, State, or local government entity. Effective immediately.
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that a public body shall include in its list of records available under the Act the identification and a plain-text description of each of the types or categories of information of each field of each database of the public body. Provides that the public body shall provide a sufficient description of the structures of all databases under the control of the public body to allow a requester to request the public body to perform specific database queries.